th 11 Street Bridge Project Enters Project Completion Phase Significant Traffic Pattern Changes and Lane Closures to Occur Along the Southeast/Southwest Freeway between Barney Circle and 8th Street, SE The 11th Street Bridge Project, the District Department of Transportation’s (DDOT) largest infrastructure project, is nearing substantial completion of Phase 1 and beginning its Project Completion Phase (Phase 2). Phase 2 will further improve connections between the SE/SW Freeway and the new 11th Street Bridges and reconnect local streets on the west side of the Anacostia River. It will also lay the groundwork for replacement of the SE/SW Freeway with an at-grade boulevard between 11th Street, SE and Barney Circle (Pennsylvania Avenue). Phase 2 – Project Completion Phase Phase 2 is located within the Capitol Hill/Navy Yard area and includes replacing the 2-lane outbound I- 695 (SE/SW Freeway) flyover bridge over M Street with a new 3-lane bridge structure. This new flyover bridge will connect to the new I-695 Outbound Freeway Bridge. The SE/SW Freeway between 8th Street, SE and 13th Street, SE will be raised approximately 20 feet and re-designated from a freeway to a Boulevard. 12th Street is to be extended from M Street to connect to the new Boulevard. This work is part of the $90M Phase 2 Change Order and will establish the groundwork for the future Barney Circle Project, which is an element of the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative (AWI) Master Plan. The 11th Street Bridge over the SE/SW Freeway will be removed in phases as it is reconstructed, the bridge will become an at grade roadway with both on and off ramps from the Boulevard and SE/SW Freeway. A new off-ramp from eastbound I-695 (SE/SW Freeway) to 11th Street will allow a more direct access to Historic Anacostia via the 11th Street Local Bridge. Eastbound I-695 (SE/SW Freeway) motorists are currently using a temporary detour starting at the 6th Street SE exit to Virginia Ave, to 8th Street, to M Street to 11th Street to access Anacostia. To facilitate this work, starting on or about Monday, September 17th, a series of on-going traffic pattern changes will be required along the SE/SW Freeway between 8th St. SE and Barney Circle: Following the morning rush hour, the westbound SE/SW Freeway will be reduced to a single lane. By November this westbound stretch will be completely closed. On or about January 2013 the eastbound lanes will be completely closed. The full closure of this section of the SE/SW Freeway will remain in place for approximately 18 to 20 months while crews reconstruct the freeway by placing approximately 20 feet of fill to raise the roadway to local street elevation. Motorists are advised to use the new DC-295 Southbound to I-695 Inbound Ramp (see below map) to reach the westbound SE/SW Freeway and I-395 in order to avoid possible commute delays and traffic congestion. This ramp can be accessed from both westbound Pennsylvania via the on-ramp to southbound DC-295 or by continuing on southbound DC-295. In addition, motorists are advised vehicles will no longer be permitted to turn left from southbound 17th Street, SE to reach the restricted access lanes under Barney Circle that lead to the SE/SW Freeway. A new barricade will prevent this maneuver beginning on or about Monday, September 17. Phase 1 – Project Update Phase 1 of the 11th Street Bridge Project remains on track to be substantially completed by the end of 2012, meaning all remaining ramps, interstate lanes and local roadways will be open to traffic, as designed. As part of the $300 million Phase 1 work, a new interstate connection from southbound DC-295 to the I- 695 Inbound Freeway Bridge opened on July 30th; the remaining missing freeway connection – between the I-695 Outbound Freeway Bridge and northbound DC-295 - is scheduled to open by Thanksgiving of this year. A new off-ramp from northbound I-295 to the local 11th Street Bridge is scheduled to open by the end of September. This will allow Navy Yard morning rush-hour commuters coming from Suitland Parkway and northbound I-295 with more of a direct route to their facility, as well as providing local traffic direct access to Historic Anacostia (see below). Traffic will exit on the Anacostia side of the River, travel across the 11th Local Street Bridge and enter the Navy Yard at the O Street Gate. A new on-ramp from 11th Street to the westbound SE/SW Freeway will also open by Thanksgiving (see in blue below). This will greatly improve traffic flow through Capitol Hill by providing a second access point to the westbound SE/SW Freeway, other than the 3rd Street, SE and will also provide more direct access for Anacostia residents using the 11th Street Local Bridge (see below). For more information and to follow the bridge project and AWI Program’s progress, please visit: http://www.anacostiawaterfront.org/11thStreetBridge To join the project or AWI community contact list or ask questions, please: Email [email protected] or Call 202-741-8528. Visit www.goDCgo.com for more information on transportation options in the District .